I ditched my bedroom wardrobes in favour of this small-space-friendly alternative – this is why I don’t regret my decision six years later

Just over six years ago, my husband and I bought our first home - a small Victorian terrace with lots of character, but not a lot of storage space. And because we assumed that it was the proper thing to do, we immediately bought ourselves a wardrobe for our small bedroom. Within weeks, though, we began to regret our decision… and we got rid of it.

Yes, for those wanting to follow in the footsteps of people with consistently tidy clothes, it’s easy to assume that you need a wardrobe to keep things organised - whether that’s a freestanding wardrobe or bespoke built-ins. But I’m proof that you don’t have to follow the norm when it comes to bedroom storage, and that it’s sometimes worth getting creative when you’re a small home dweller.

And while we did initially wonder whether we made the right decision when we ditched our lovely (and admittedly not cheap) wardrobe for a rail like this SONGMICS Clothes Rack on Wheels (£34.99 at Amazon), we’re still confident it was the right choice for us six years later.

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In fact, we love our clothes rail so much that we’re going to continue using it as our main source of clothes storage when we move to our new house soon - even though our bedroom will be bigger.

And while the exact rail we bought six years ago is sadly no longer available, there are so many similar options out there, like this Habitat Arnie Clothes Rail (£20 at Habitat) that our Sleep Editor, Amy, is always raving about, too.

But if you’re still scratching your head and wondering why on earth I’d ditch the obvious practical choice of clothes storage for a rail, these are the three reasons why I’ve chosen not to use a wardrobe in my home.

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1. It’s so much cheaper

Let’s be honest: wardrobes are expensive. And for the amount of clothes that my husband and I had when we moved in, we knew that a wardrobe alone wouldn’t cut the mustard. So, we bought a large wardrobe for around £500, as well as two separate chests of drawers for around £100 a piece.

Admittedly, £700 isn’t a lot when you consider the cost of fitted wardrobes, but it still felt like a major blow to our bank balance. And while hanging space is definitely necessary for certain items of clothing, I personally prefer to fold most of my clothes, so that £500 stung even more. Especially as they felt rather flimsy and we weren’t confident in their longevity.

So, when we spotted the heavy-duty hanging clothes rail for SO much cheaper, we decided to chance it. We sold the wardrobes to recoup some of our money, and the result was a combined clothes storage set-up that cost just £135.

2. It’s easier to keep tidy and organised

I’m constantly trying to emulate people with tidy bedrooms and what they use to keep them that way. And while regularly decluttering is a huge part of that, so is keeping things tidy and organised - and I find that having my hanging clothes on show on a single rail actually keeps things way tidier than they did when I had a wardrobe.

Don’t get me wrong, I have a wardrobe in my spare bedroom that’s used for all of my bags, big coats, and other items that can’t hang prettily on the clothes rail in my bedroom - but that’s my case in point. Wardrobes can quickly become a jumble of clutter that makes you feel stressed every time you open the doors. And you’re often less likely to tidy it when you can hide these things.

With everything on show, I tackle messy things immediately. And I also swear by seasonally switching up my clothes, so the rack is never overflowing and my out-of-season clothes are stored in vacuum bags - like these Argos Home Pack of 6 Mixed Vacuum Storage Bags (£10 at Argos) - in suitcases in the loft.

3. The size works so much better

Big furniture can make a small bedroom look smaller, and that’s exactly what we found out when we first bought wardrobes for our 3x3m bedroom. And while the rail isn’t exactly smaller in terms of length, it’s a lot shorter - which means it visually opens up the space and feels less overpowering.

For us, switching from a bulky wardrobe just made sense for our small space - and I no longer feel like a big piece of furniture is closing in on me while I’m sleeping. The sleeping space feels calm and relaxed, with everything in order.

Not only that, but having a clothes rail with wheels also helps me maintain a dust-free home as I can easily dust the skirting boards behind it - and I don’t have to worry about damp (or even mould) rearing its head behind any wardrobes, which is common when you have big furniture in small rooms.

For me, switching from wardrobes to a clothes rail has transformed my small bedroom. But I appreciate that it might not work for everyone!